A conventional example 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-180780) discusses a storage case for storing a bare disc in which a base end of a disc-supporting plate is fixed to a case body. The disc-supporting plate is biased upward at an angle from the case body due to the elasticity of the base end. When a case cover is to be closed over the case body in a state where a disc is held at an angle by a disc-holding portion provided on an upper surface of the disc-supporting plate, the disc-supporting plate is pushed into the case body with the case cover against the elasticity of the base end, whereby the disc-supporting plate and the disc become stored inside the case body. On the other hand, when the case cover is to be opened upward from the case body, the disc-supporting plate and the disc are pushed upward at an angle from the case body due to the elasticity of the base end of the disc-supporting plate.
Furthermore, a conventional example 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-40380) discusses another type of a storage case. In this storage case, a first end of a supporting plate, which can be bent into a substantially mound shape from a horizontal state via a hinge, is pivotally supported by a case cover, and a second end of the supporting plate is slidably latched to a case body. When the case cover is to be closed over the case body in a state where a disc is held by a disc-holding portion provided near the first end of an upper surface of the supporting plate, the second end of the supporting plate is slid horizontally in the case body, whereby the disc-holding portion and the disc become stored horizontally in the case body due to the hinge. On the other hand, when the case cover is to be opened by 180° from the case body, the first end of the supporting plate is drawn out from the case body so that the first end comes into contact with a contact portion provided on one end of the case body from above. This generates leverage, which allows the first end of the supporting plate to be pushed upward at an angle from the case body together with the disc.
On the other hand, another conventional example 3 (Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3058139) discusses a storage case that stores video tape cassettes or compact discs for showcasing on store shelves. This storage case has a bendable lifting component folded back into an inequilateral trapezoid of shape. A front end of the lifting component is fixed to an inner surface of a case body, and a rear end of the lifting component is fixed to an inner side of a rear plate that connects the case body to a case cover. When the case cover is closed over the case body in a state where a compact disc is fitted to and held in a depressed holding portion provided on an upper side of the lifting component, the rear plate is erected perpendicularly with respect to the case body, and the upper side of the lifting component is set horizontally, whereby the compact disc is stored horizontally in the upper portion of the case body. In this state, the lower portion of the case body (i.e., a space below the compact disc) stores a video tape cassette. On the other hand, when the case cover is opened by 180° from the case body, the rear plate is set horizontally with respect to the case body. In this state, the upper side of the lifting component is tilted so that the compact disc can be taken out upward at an angle from the case body.
According to the structure of conventional example 1 in which the disc-supporting plate is pushed into the case body with the case cover against the elasticity of the base end when the case cover is being closed over the case body, the elastic force of the base end of the disc-supporting plate is strongest at an early stage of use. This means that a large resistance is present when the closing operation of the case cover is performed at the early stage of use. For this reason, conventional example 1 is operationally problematic since a large force is required for opening the case cover at the early stage of use. On the other hand, if the elasticity of the base end of the disc-supporting plate becomes deteriorated after a long usage, the disc-supporting plate cannot push the disc upward to a sufficient height from the case body when the case cover is opened. Consequently, this structure is problematic in having low durability.
On the other hand, according to the structure of conventional example 2, when the case cover is being opened by 180° from the case body, the first end of the supporting plate is drawn out from the case body so that the first end comes into contact with the contact portion on one end of the case body from above. Thus, in response to the leverage generated, the first end of the supporting plate is pushed upward at an angle from the case body together with the disc. This structure of conventional example 2 is problematic in that a strong impulse is constantly applied to the first end of the supporting plate. Consequently, since the first end of the supporting plate can be easily damaged, the conventional example 2 is problematic in having low durability, like the conventional example 1.
On the other hand, according to the structure of conventional example 3 in which a compact disc is stored horizontally in the upper portion of the case body when the case cover is closed over the case body, an inefficient space is formed in the lower portion of the case body (i.e., a space below the compact disc). In this case, since a large thickness is required for the case body, a storage case having this structure is not suitable for storing bare discs.